Discussion of baby blues and postpartum depression. Recommends “lifestyle changes and select supplements described in part 3 of this book” to manage symptoms (p.51) if this is affecting a woman. The female neuroendocrine system: Pregnancy and the onset of menopause both have the potential to disrupt the balance of the female neuroendocrine system. Affected parts include: the thyroid, the thymus, the adrenals, the pancreas, the ovaries, the frontal cortex, the thalamus, the posterior cingulate cortex, the limbic cortex, the pituitary gland, the hypothalamus, and the brain stem. Studies of brains pre- and post-menopause show that activity decreases as estrogen levels drop. At the same time, a key indicator of Alzheimer’s disease – the level of amyloid plaques in the brain – increases. Memory centers in the brain also shrink. It turns out that menopause increases the risk of dementia in 80 percent of women.

The XX Brain is an exciting and empowering read for all women. Dr. Mosconi provides actionableadvice to protect your brain and thrive throughout your lifetime! I highly recommend making your brain a priority now and taking charge before the inevitable hormonal shifts of perimenopause. In this book, Dr. Mosconi will show you how.” —Dr. Jolene Brighten, ND, author of Beyond the Pill This is a groundbreaking, must-read book, right on target with what I have found about women’s brains. As we age it is critical for us to act aggressively in promoting not just our health but our brain health through lifestyle. I highly recommend it!" —Anna Cabeca, DO, author of The Hormone Fix In addition, she crafts a livable diet and exercise plan that will help you reduce stress and return to restorative sleep, helping to manage these hormonal swings. On p. 6 there was the fiirst reference to women with children (in comparison to men) in regards to the limbic system which includes the hippocampus and the amygdala. No comparison or discussion about how the limbic system in women with children compares to women without children….a trend of not including women without children that will continue throughout the book. Examination of this myth: under more examination the main reasons why men live shorter lives have been in the past: alcoholism, smoking, gun violence, road accidents and poor diet. (p.19) And also implied on p.20, is occupational stress.The XX Brainis a rallying cry for women to have full access to information regarding what is going on in their brains and bodies as well as a roadmap for the path to optimal, lifelong brain health. Medications for Alzheimer’s have been disappointing. Even when they deal with the amyloid plaques, the cognitive deficits remain or worsen. (p.23). An effective medication appears a long way away. (p.23) Until now, medical research has focused on "bikini medicine," assuming that women are essentially men with breasts and tubes. Yet women are far more likely than men to suffer from anxiety, depression, migraines, brain injuries, and strokes. They are also twice as likely to end their lives suffering from Alzheimer's disease, even when their longer lifespans are taken into account. But in the past, the female brain has received astonishingly little attention and was rarely studied by medical researchers-- resulting in a wealth of misinformation about women's health.

Women over 35 need to know that perimenopause is a dramatic transition state not just in terms of mood, sex drive, and hot flashes—but in terms of brain health and function. Lisa Mosconi is the leading authority on the female brain as it navigates hormonal upheaval, and she is here to close our knowledge gap. I give her extraordinary new book my highest recommendation!” —Sara Gottfried, MD, New York Times bestselling author of The Hormone Cure The author previously wrote a book on the brain and nutrition and drew on that research for this book. Based on this book, I will not beprobably not read that one. Dr. Mosconi boldly takes the question of what differentiates men from women away from just the reproductive organs and focuses on the unique characteristics of the female brain. And it is about time! When 2/3 of Alzheimer’s patients are women, clearly a manifestation of the female brain’s uniqueness, we must take notice. The XX Brain is fully empowering, leveraging the very best science allowing women to enhance cognitive health and gain control of their brain’s destiny.” —David Perlmutter, MD, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Grain Brain I happened to stumble upon this phenomenal book, and I wish I could recommend it to every woman I know who is on the struggle bus with all of this hormone nonsense.Dr. Mosconi boldly takes the question of what differentiates men from women away from just the reproductive organs and focuses on the unique characteristics of the female brain. And it is about time! When 2/3 of Alzheimer’s patients are women, clearly a manifestation of the female brain’s uniqueness, we must take notice. The XX Brain is fully empowering, leveraging the very best science allowing women to enhance cognitive health and gain control of their brain’s destiny." —David Perlmutter, MD, New York Times bestselling author of Grain Brain In her new book, The XX Brain, she [Dr. Mosconi] explains the differences between the female and male brains and explores the different ways the brain affects women’s health. She offers practical tips on how to optimize brain health and discusses the unique risks women have for developing Alzheimer’s disease and actions they can take to help prevent it.” — The Wall Street Journal It can seem like Alzheimer’s comes on suddenly, but the disease is decades in the making. While the clearest symptoms may only be visible in old age, the groundwork is laid when we’re young. For many women, menopause is when it begins. The hormone with the most influence is estrogen. Known as the “master regulator,” estrogen affects just about every important brain function. It helps with the production of energy, keeps cells healthy and sparks activity in the parts of your brain responsible for memory and attention. Popular wisdom about what we should eat is always changing. In the early 1990s, low-fat diets were gospel; today high-fat “keto” diets are all the rage. The truth is, no extreme diet is healthy for your brain. Instead, focus on the quality of the food you eat.